The Easter Story Made it Simple for Your Teens
Speaking about the story of Easter with teens can be challenging… but it also holds a great opportunity to start a meaningful discussion about Christian traditions and Jesus’ life.
Whether you are in a community of Christian Moms, or simply interested in religion and history, during the Easter season, you can definitely grab the chance to speak about Biblical times, and the story of God with your teenagers!
Easter Around the World
When I was a little girl, there was a cartoon, entitled “The Superbook”, it was about a group of kids and their robot, who turned out to be a sort of time machine, and they all got transported into Biblical times.
I loved that cartoon, honestly, I do not know how accurate it was religion-wise, but it was really interesting and absolutely engaging, and made me fall in love with those historical times! Did you also watch that cartoon series or any similar short films taking place in Biblical times?😁
Easter is celebrated all over the world, and there are traditions based on the Biblical Easter Story and others, like the Easter Bunny or the Easter Eggs that are more related to natural spring celebrations.
According to Wikipedia
“The egg is an ancient symbol of new life and rebirth. In Christianity, it became associated with Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection. The custom of the Easter egg originated in the early Christian community of Mesopotamia, who stained eggs red in memory of the blood of Christ, shed at his crucifixion. As such, for Christians, the Easter egg is a symbol of the empty tomb. The oldest tradition is to use dyed chicken eggs.”
Easter According to the Bible
If you are planning to speak with your teens about the story of Jesus and the “true meaning of Easter” according to the Bible verse, I put together a sort of “Easter lesson” that you can use.
First, let’s start with the timeline of the Holy Week. Wait, what is the Holy Week?😅
The Holy Week is the week before Easter, starting on Palm Sunday.
Day 1: Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday
This is the day when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem. And that time the people were happy to see him, and considered him the Son of David who came in the name of God. The crowds welcomed him by waving palm branches in the air.
If you happen to visit a Catholic church that day (as I did by chance while studying in France during university, and visiting the Notre Dame of Paris), you can also see that palm branches, as the symbol of life and glory, are used on the mass of Palm Sunday as a memorandum of the events of the “original” Palm Sunday.
Day 2: On Monday, Jesus Clears the Temple
On Monday, Jesus arrived at the Temple and found courts full of corrupt money changers there. He got angry, overturned their tables, and ordered them to leave the Temple as it should be kept as a holy place, a house of prayer.
Day 3: On Tuesday, Jesus Goes to the Mount of Olives
Jesus spent the previous nights in Bethany at some of his friends’ house. On the third day, on Tuesday morning he went back to Jerusalem and the Temple again – where the leading priests were angry and wanted to arrest him for acting as a religious authority.
Later that day, Jesus left Jerusalem with his disciples and went to the Mount of Olives, which is northeast of Jerusalem, overlooking the city. He spoke there to his disciples and gave some symbolic prophecy, which included his Second Coming and the final judgment as well.
According to the Bible, this is also the day when Judas Iscariot spoke with the Jewish leaders and betrayed Jesus.
Day 4: Holy Wednesday
Jesus most likely spent Wednesday in Bethany. This is the city near Jerusalem where he earlier raised Lazarus from the grave – so due to this miracle, the people of Bethany really believed that Jesus was God’s Son and welcomed him accordingly.
Day 5: Maundy Thursday, Passover, and Last Supper
Passover is a holiday in Judaism, commemorating the Hebrews’ liberation from slavery in Egypt. So Jesus and his disciples spent Passover together, he washed his disciples’ feet as an act of service, to show that all believers should love and treat each other well. You can find paintings in many Christian churches about this!
He also shared bread and red wine with his disciples, representing his soon-to-be sacrifice, to free the believers from sin and death according to the Bible. Many Christian ceremonies still use bread and wine as “reminders” of the events that happened on Holy Thursday.
After supper, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane with his disciples, where he prayed to his heavenly father. He was betrayed here with a kiss by Judas Iscariot and arrested.
Day 6: Good Friday Trial, Crucifixion, Death, and Burial
Good Friday is the toughest day of the Easter Story.
Jesus faced multiple trials before the religious and Roman authorities. He was first brought before the Jewish high priests and then before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. Despite finding no fault in Jesus, Pilate succumbed to pressure from the crowd and sentenced Jesus to be crucified.
Before the crucifixion, Jesus was subjected to brutal scourging. Roman soldiers also mocked him, placing a crown of thorns on his head and dressing him in a purple robe.
Jesus was forced to carry his cross along the Via Dolorosa (the Way of Suffering) to the place of crucifixion.
At Golgotha, Jesus was nailed to the cross, and he hung there for several hours. During this time, he endured immense physical and emotional suffering. While on the cross, Jesus spoke several significant words, including “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” and “It is finished.”
Jesus died on the cross in the afternoon. His body was taken down from the cross and placed in a tomb before sundown, fulfilling the prophecy of being buried in a rich man’s tomb.
Good Friday is a day of reflection and mourning for Christians, acknowledging the sacrifice of Jesus for the redemption of humanity’s sins.
In most Catholic churches, and even in public areas of various Christian cities, you can find sculptures, paintings, and mosaics, that are related to the events of the final days of Jesus Christ.
Day 7: Saturday in the Tomb
After Jesus’ crucifixion and death, his body was in the tomb, guarded throughout the day by Roman soldiers. Saturday was the Jewish Sabbath, so only when it ended at 6 p.m., was Jesus’ body ceremonially treated for burial with spices.
Day 8: Resurrection Sunday
On the first day of the week, which is now celebrated as Easter Sunday, some of Jesus’ followers, including women like Mary Magdalene, went to the tomb where Jesus was buried. They discovered that the tomb was empty.
According to the Bible, angels appeared to the women at the tomb, announcing that Jesus had risen from the dead, just as he had foretold. The angels instructed the women to go and tell the disciples about the resurrection.
In the days following the resurrection, there were various appearances of Jesus to his followers. According to the Bible, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene near the tomb, to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, and in various other instances.
Easter Activities for Teens
If you and your teens are familiar now with the Easter story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, a small group discussion, getting a Christian Easter book, or watching Christian youth videos can help as well, to understand better Jesus’s life.
I also believe that even if the topic is not a light one, you can still find some creative ways to have a great Easter program with your teens and even their younger siblings.
I collected a few Easter activity ideas for you to start with:
- Easter Bible Study: Organize a teen-friendly Bible study focusing on the events leading up to Easter, such as the Last Supper, Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection. Discuss the significance of each event and its relevance to Christian beliefs.
- Passion Play Performance: Encourage teens to participate in or organize a Passion Play, reenacting the key moments of Jesus’ final days. This can be a powerful way to engage with the Easter story and share it with others.
- Resurrection Eggs: Connect the tradition of Easter eggs with the resurrection story. Have teens write or draw specific Bible verses related to Easter on plastic eggs. During an Easter egg hunt, participants can open the eggs and reflect on the verses inside. If you and your teens are not Christians, instead of religious verses, consider using quotes or messages that resonate with each participant. They can then exchange eggs and reflect on the messages inside.
- Good Friday Reflection Night: Host a reflective evening on Good Friday providing a space for teens to come together for meditation, thoughtfulness, and personal reflections. Offer journals for recording reflections and encourage an open dialogue about sacrifice and compassion.
- Resurrection Garden Craft: Guide teens in creating a Resurrection Garden as a craft activity. Using soil, small plants, rocks, and a small tomb-like structure, they can visually represent the resurrection story.
- Scripture Scavenger Hunt: Develop a scavenger hunt with clues leading to Bible verses related to Easter. As teens solve each clue, they discover a piece of the Easter story and can discuss its significance.
- Musical Expression Night: Arrange an evening filled with diverse musical expressions that go beyond religious boundaries. Teens can share their musical talents, explore different genres, and express themselves through music and dance, celebrating the spirit of unity and joy.
- Easter Story Art Workshop: Provide art supplies and encourage teens to create artwork inspired by the Easter story. This can include paintings, drawings, or even multimedia projects that capture the emotions and themes of Easter.
- Community Outreach: Engage teens in community service projects tied to the Easter message of love and compassion. This might involve volunteering at a local shelter, organizing a food drive, or participating in outreach programs.
- Easter Sunrise Service: Plan a sunrise gathering on Easter morning, offering teens a moment to appreciate nature and reflect on themes of renewal and hope. This can be followed by a time for personal reflections, gratitude, and celebration, regardless of religious affiliation.
These activities not only provide a meaningful way for teens to connect with the Biblical Easter story but also encourage reflection, community involvement, and creative expression.
Takeaway
Presenting the Easter story in a simple way encourages open-minded exploration of cultural and historical aspects, inviting your teens to reflect on the broader significance of the season. The incorporation of various fun activities, both religious and secular, ensures that everyone can engage with the spirit of Easter, fostering reflection, creativity, and community involvement.
